FDA bans importation of mifepristone into the United States

The FDA, under the Bush administration, issues an import ban on mifepristone, blocking American women from obtaining the drug even from other countries where it is legal. The ban follows lobbying by anti-abortion groups who argue the drug poses health risks and moral hazards. The policy prevents U.S. clinical trials that could generate the safety data needed for an eventual FDA approval, creating a deliberate regulatory catch-22: no trials means no safety data, and no safety data means no approval. The ban strands American women without access to a drug widely available in Europe, illustrating how regulatory inaction can serve as a policy outcome without requiring legislation.